Soluble Iodine Speciation in Marine Aerosols Across the Indian and Pacific Ocean Basins

Iodine affects the radiative budget and the oxidative capacity of the atmosphere and is consequently involved in important climate feedbacks. A fraction of the iodine emitted by oceans ends up in aerosols, where complex halogen chemistry regulates the recycling of iodine to the gas-phase where it effectively destroys ozone. The iodine speciation and major ion composition of aerosol samples collected during four cruises in the East and West Pacific and Indian Oceans was studied to understand the influences on iodine’s gas-aerosol phase recycling. A significant inverse relationship exists between iodide (I–) and iodate (IO3–) proportions in both fine and coarse mode aerosols, with a relatively constant soluble organic iodine (SOI) fraction of 19.8% (median) for fine and coarse mode samples of all cruises combined. Consistent with previous work on the Atlantic Ocean, this work further provides observational support that IO3– reduction is attributed to aerosol acidity, which is associated to smaller aerosol particles and air masses that have been influenced by anthropogenic emissions. Significant correlations are found between SOI and I–, which supports hypotheses that SOI may be a source for I–. This data contributes to a growing observational dataset on aerosol iodine speciation and provides evidence for relatively constant proportions of iodine species in unpolluted marine aerosols. Future development in our understanding of iodine speciation depends on aerosol pH measurements and unravelling the complex composition of SOI in aerosols.

Iodine Fractions in Soil and Their Determination

Iodine is an essential micronutrient for most living beings, including humans. Despite efforts through various iodine deficiency disorders elimination programs, such as salt iodization, this problem still persists. Sub-clinical deficiencies have often an endemic character, and they are characteristic to certain areas, where iodine is low or inaccessible in the geochemical environment. Thus, the monitoring of iodine speciation and fractionation—especially in soil, drinking water, and food—is needed. Therefore, the aim of this work is to review the iodine distribution in most common soil fractions which relate to its bioavailability; and briefly summarize the available methods for their identification in the environmental matrices as well.

Measurement report: Indirect evidence for the controlling influence of acidity on the speciation of iodine in Atlantic aerosols

The speciation of soluble iodine and major-ion composition were determined in size-fractionated aerosols collected during the AMT21 cruise between Avonmouth, UK, and Punta Arenas, Chile, in September–November 2011. The proportions of iodine species (iodide, iodate and soluble organic iodine (SOI)) varied markedly between size fractions and with the extent to which the samples were influenced by pollutants. In general, fine mode aerosols (< 1 µm) contained higher proportions of both iodide and SOI, while iodate was the dominant component of coarse (< 1 µm) aerosols. The highest proportions of iodate were observed in aerosols that contained (alkaline) unpolluted sea spray or mineral dust. Fine mode samples with high concentrations of acidic species (e.g. non-sea-salt sulfate) contained very little iodate and elevated proportions of iodide and SOI. These results are in agreement with modelling studies that indicate that iodate can be reduced under acidic conditions and that the resulting hypoiodous acid (HOI) can react with organic matter to produce SOI and iodide. Further work that investigates the link between iodine speciation and aerosol pH directly, as well as studies on the formation and decay of organo-iodine compounds under aerosol conditions, will be necessary before the importance of this chemistry in regulating aerosol iodine speciation can be confirmed.

Measurement report: Indirect evidence for the controlling influence of acidity on the speciation of iodine in Atlantic aerosols

The speciation of iodine and major ion composition were determined in size-fractionated aerosols collected during the AMT21 cruise between Avonmouth, UK and Punta Arenas, Chile in September–November 2011. The proportions of iodine species (iodide, iodate and soluble organic iodine (SOI)) varied markedly between size fractions and with the extent to which the samples were influenced by pollutants. In general, fine mode aerosols (< 1 µm) contained higher proportions of both iodide and SOI, while iodate was the dominant component of coarse (< 1 µm) aerosols. The highest proportions of iodate were observed in aerosols that contained (alkaline) unpolluted seaspray or mineral dust. Fine mode samples with high concentrations of acidic species (e.g. non-seasalt sulfate) contained very little iodate and elevated proportions of iodide and SOI. These results are in agreement with modelling studies that indicate that iodate can be reduced under acidic conditions and that the resulting hypoiodous acid (HOI) can react with organic matter to produce SOI and iodide. Further work that investigates the link between iodine speciation and aerosol pH directly, as well as studies on the formation and decay of organo-iodine compounds under aerosol conditions, will be necessary before the importance of this chemistry in regulating aerosol iodine speciation can be confirmed.

Silver as a capturing material for iodine released from lead–bismuth eutectic in various conditions

The usage of silver as a filtering material for removal of iodine from the gas phase of a lead–bismuth eutectic based nuclear reactor was investigated in various atmospheres representing normal operation as well as accident conditions. Thermochromatography experiments were performed to quantify the retention experienced on a silver surface by iodine species evaporated from a lead–bismuth eutectic sample. Measured adsorption enthalpies ranged from −171 to − 208 kJ mol−1 with observed differences attributed to various surface effects rather than a change in iodine speciation. The postulated adsorption mechanism is chemisorption of iodine atoms on the silver surface. Metallic silver fulfills the desired criteria for a capturing material in water-free filtering systems to be used as an alternative to traditional alkaline scrubbers commonly used in LWR systems.